Chinese Bike Rental Firm Ofo Increases Bike Deposits To RMB199 From RMB99

Beijing-based bike rental company ofo today increased the deposit new users must pay to borrow bikes to RMB199 (US$29) from RMB99 (US$14.5) previously. Despite the increase, ofo’s deposit price remains significantly less than the RMB299 deposits required by rival Mobike. ofo can charge a smaller deposits because its bright yellow bikes are relatively cheap to… Continue reading Chinese Bike Rental Firm Ofo Increases Bike Deposits To RMB199 From RMB99

Chinese Provinces Race For Lead In Electric Vehicle Innovation

Provinces across China are vying to attract electric vehicle companies and projects, positioning themselves to benefit most as China aspires to become a world leader in electric vehicle innovation. The latest region to score big is the Guian New Area, a 1,795 square kilometer economic zone located near Guiyang city in sleepy Guizhou province. China’s… Continue reading Chinese Provinces Race For Lead In Electric Vehicle Innovation

China’s Leo Group Joins $121M Capital Injection In Electric Vehicle Start-Up

Shenzhen-listed mini-pumps and garden machines maker Leo Group Co., Ltd. has agreed to join seven other investors to inject RMB780 million (US$121 million) in a smart electric vehicle start-up established by Li Xiang, the founder of New York-listed Autohome Inc. In a securities filing (in Chinese), Leo Group says it will invest RMB350 million to… Continue reading China’s Leo Group Joins $121M Capital Injection In Electric Vehicle Start-Up

Beijing Considers Tighter Rules On Bike Sharing Deposits

The Beijing Municipal Bureau of Financial Work is considering tighter regulations over the management of deposits collected by bike sharing companies, in order to protect consumers and reduce financial risk in the industry. Bike sharing companies registered in Beijing may be asked to put all bike deposits they have collected into a special bank account… Continue reading Beijing Considers Tighter Rules On Bike Sharing Deposits

Zhongding To Invest $200M In EcoMotors

Allen Park, Michigan-based next generation internal combustion engine maker EcoMotors has secured an undisclosed series D round of financing led by Chinese auto parts maker Anhui Zhongding Holding (Group) Co., Ltd., says a company announcement. Even though the total amount of EcoMotors’ funding round is not disclosed, the company says that Zhongding has agreed to… Continue reading Zhongding To Invest $200M In EcoMotors

GO Scale Capital Teams Up With SPI Energy To Invest In EV Battery Projects

GO Scale Capital, an investment fund sponsored by China-focused GSR Ventures and U.S. venture capital firm Oak Investment Partners, plans to partner with Chinese solar firm SPI Energy Co., Ltd. to back electric vehicle battery projects, says a company announcement. The two parties have signed a non-binding framework agreement, in which SPI Energy will issue… Continue reading GO Scale Capital Teams Up With SPI Energy To Invest In EV Battery Projects

CITIC Securities Leads $400M Round In EV Battery Maker Microvast

CITIC Securities has led a US$400 million funding round in Microvast Power System (MPS), an electric vehicle power system solutions provider and a subsidiary of U.S. and China-based Microvast. China’s CDH Investment, National Venture Capital and other unnamed investors also participated in the round. MPS is a vertically integrated developer and manufacturer of advanced electric… Continue reading CITIC Securities Leads $400M Round In EV Battery Maker Microvast

LeEco’s EV Unit Le Supercar Names New CEO As Co-Founder Ding Lei Steps Down

Ding Lei, co-founder and chief executive officer of China of LeEco’s electric car affiliate Le Supercar, has left the company due to personal health issues, the executive disclosed on his Weibo account today. LeEco has appointed Zhang Hailiang, previously president and chief operating officer at Le Supercar, as the unit’s new head. It also hired… Continue reading LeEco’s EV Unit Le Supercar Names New CEO As Co-Founder Ding Lei Steps Down

China Plans Ambitious Expansion Of EV Charging Pole Network

Forty-eight major Chinese cities are planning ambitious expansion plans to increase the total number of electric vehicle charging stations to 1,549, and the number of charging poles to 238,559 by 2015. That compare with a total of 307 charging stations and 16,947 charging poles in these 48 cities as of October 2013, according to Chinese… Continue reading China Plans Ambitious Expansion Of EV Charging Pole Network

Go Scale Capital Joins $70M New Funding Round In Protean Electric

Go Scale Capital, Zhejiang VIE Science & Technology and Tianjin THSG Corporation have led a US$70 million new financing round in Protean Electric, an in-wheel electric drive system developer, according to a company announcement. Existing investors Oak Investment Partners and GSR Ventures also participated in the round. The new funding will be used to ramp… Continue reading Go Scale Capital Joins $70M New Funding Round In Protean Electric